1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to processed cellulose material for use as an animal litter, as a food, and as a fertilizer which, in various particular aspects, is pelletized or flaked.
This invention also relates to methods for cleaning up a liquid floating on or in another liquid and to absorbent pellets useful in such methods. In one embodiment, this invention relates particularly to methods for cleaning up oil spills in salt water using cellulose pellets of a preferred size, configuration and density. This invention relates to methods for making absorbent pellets and to the pellets themselves.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
A variety of materials have been used as litter for animals. These materials have included grass, hay, leaves, grain hulls, sawdust, wood shavings, and other natural materials as well as material such as shredded or macerated paper. A variety of problems are associated with the use of these materials. Shredded or macerated paper readily absorbs liquids, including animal urine, but easily becomes saturated, losing its ability to dry up urine. Such paper also becomes packed down by the weight of the animals and loses its loft; i.e., it does not serve well as a bedding for animals, e.g. cattle and horses. Such paper which has not been sterilized or dried prior to use as a litter or bedding provides a prime site for bacterial or fungal growth and for ammonia production, particularly when aided by animal urine or manure. Natural materials which already have bacteria or other microorganisms on them and which have not been dried or sterilized also provide a prime site for such growth and production.
Prior art feed pellets made from chicken litter (75% litter, 25% grain; 50% litter, 50% corn) are relatively low in nitrogen content so grain or corn is added. Also such pellets have little or no trace minerals which add nutritional value.
Various methods, materials, and apparatuses have been used to clean up liquid spills such as oil spills. These methods, materials, and apparatuses are ineffective at best and costly, and non-productive at worst. Several weeks after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, only a small percentage of the spilled oil had been cleaned up. Even with spills of lesser magnitude, the clean up devices are complex and expensive and the methods are ineffective.
There has long been a need for an effective animal litter. There has long been a need for such a litter in which bacteria growth is inhibited or in which bacteria (or other unwanted organisms, fungi, molds, toxins, etc.) does not grow as well as in prior art litters. There has long been a need for such a litter which disposed of in a useful way or which can be reprocessed to produce a food or fertilizer. There has long been a need for a quick and efficient method for cleaning up spilled hazardous, obnoxious, or toxic materials, including but not limited to, oil, chemicals, and petroleum products.
There has long been a need for a method for cleaning oil spills which itself does not result in other environmental or disposal problems. There has long been a need for a method for cleaning up material spills which permits recovery or re-use of some of the spilled material. There has long been a need for a product for use in such methods.
In accordance with the duty of candor before the Patent and Trademark Office, the following are disclosed:
"Animal Bedding--a capital idea," Resource Recycling, July, 1990 discusses the use of shredded newspaper as animal bedding and lists fifteen reasons (page 46) why paper bedding is preferred to other bedding materials. Various machines are also disclosed.
"Broiler Litter Makes Hits Stocker Program Work," Progressive Farmer, June, 1991, discusses the use of broiler litter blended half and half with corn as calf feed and a 55% litter--45% corn, plus hay, feed for steers.
"Cows Munch Litter Pellets," Progressive Farmer, May, 1991, discloses steam cooking a mixture of grain and broiler litter into feed pellets (75% litter, 25% grain), in a process that kills active bacteria and produces a pellet with a high protein content. This reference mentions problems with litter disposal and with drugs used in broiler rations.
"Waste Age's Recycling Times," Sep. 25, 1990, discusses in general the recycling of old newspaper, particularly pages 1, 3, 5, 9, 11.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,440, commonly owned with this application, discloses an insulating mixture with cellulose for fiber, water, and adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,983, commonly owned with this application, discloses a spray nozzle for spraying a multi-component insulating mixture of insulating fibers and adhesive.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/259,968 commonly owned with this application, discloses a nozzle for spraying insulating material mixtures including cellulose fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,326 discloses a shredded fiber insulating material treated to improve resistance to charring and to provide a lower coefficient of heat transfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,553,731 discloses flame resistant cellulose fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,470,641 discloses a cellulose insulation material made from disintegrated newspaper and boric acid powder.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,978,125 discloses a method for applying an insulation mixture including cellulose (paper) fiber.
U.S. Patent 1,718,507 discloses a method for applying an insulating mixture including cellulose material.
U.S. Pat. No. 374,208 discloses a process for preserving wood.
U.S. Pat. No. 12,882 discloses an insulation material including macerated waste paper and forming a paste.
Cincinnati Fiber, Inc., "Material Safety Data Sheet," 1987 discloses cellulose fiber produced from recycled newspaper for use as an absorbent.
International Cellulose Corporation (assignee of present invention and this application), "Celbar 2 loose fill cellulose insulation," February 1988, discloses insulating cellulose fibers.
International Cellulose Corporation, "K-13 fc ceiling systems," 1987 discloses an insulating material including cellulose fibers.
Cincinnati Fiber, Inc., "Cell Dry (TM)-Gobbler (TM)," dated prior to May, 1988, discloses absorbent tubes with a granular absorbent having a wicking action suitable for absorbing oil or other liquids.
Oil-Dri Corporation of America, "Oil-Dri," (product bag) 1983, discloses ground clay for soaking up liquid spills on surfaces, including oil spills on floors, workbenches, and driveways.
Absorptive Technology, Inc., "Kitty Flush," (product bag), dated prior to May, 1988, discloses an absorbent cellulose fiber for, among other things, absorbing water and oil spills.
Balcones Mineral Corp., "Absorb-N-Dry," (product bag) dated prior to May, 1988, discloses absorbent granular calcined clay for absorbing oil, grease, odors, moisture, and liquids.
J.V. Manufacturing Co., Inc., "Hydrovac," 1987 discloses a vacuum system for cleaning up spills of hazardous materials, including oil. The brochure mentions U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,978.
New Pig Corporation, "Only A Pig Can Eat All This," 1987, discloses devices with a superabsorbent material for cleaning up spills of hazardous materials.
Conwed Corp., "Conwed Industrial Sorbent Products," 1984, discloses sorbent devices with a water-resistant biodegradable natural fiber mat reinforced with polypropylene mesh which, after clean up, can be wrung out to reclaim the absorbed material or can be incinerated.
Sorben Products Co., Inc., "The SPC Solution," dated prior to May, 1988, discloses devices and pads using a non-biodegradable sorben material and Fiberperl, a combination of cellulose and perlite in particulate, boom, or pillow embodiments.